fullish, on the stumps and bunted straight back down the ground - that's four and Buttler has won it, a tense, sweaty three-wicket victory for England, which levels the series at 1-1 with one to play
England vs Australia, 4th ODI at Cardiff, Sep 14 2013 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
4th ODI, Cardiff, September 14, 2013, Australia tour of England and Scotland
New
ENG
Full commentary
6.35pm: Phew, that was quite a match. You'll find Gnasher's more considered summary on the site shortly and we hope you'll join Alex and me for more and full-throttle fun and frolics from the Ageas Bowl on Monday. Thanks for your comments, as ever. Cheerio!
6.25pm: Time for the presentations... Starting with Australia captain, Michael Clarke: "England deserve a lot of credit, they bowled well this morning when the wicket was doing a bit, George Bailey batted really well but we didn't quite have enough. I was disappointed to lose 5 for 20 at the end and the way we bowled was the way we had to, to have a chance. Clint's bowling was terrific but we couldn't get over the line. We've all got to improve. [Shaun Marsh injury?] He might struggle for Monday, it doesn't look good. There's a lot to play for after a difficult Ashes so we're looking forward to trying to win the series."
England's captain, Eoin Morgan: "Absolutely, some hard fought cricket, we were a few down so me and Carbs dug in. Didn't expect it to move around all innings but they had to bowl length at the end. A lot of positives, Michael Carberry scored runs, which was great, Jos Buttler at the end and the bowlers did well. Carbs has got a great head on his shoulders, he's cool and calm. I'm feeling all right, good to get another innings. [Ben Stokes] has been playing really well and he's come up trumps. It's fantastic to see [the new guys] gel in the changing room. The pitch should be a belter down in Southampton so we're looking forward to it."
Despite Clint McKay's claims on the bubbly, Jos Buttler is named Man of the Match: "Definitely, great to be not out and the end and win. The knock at Old Trafford gave me a lot of confidence, so this is brilliant. That's my role [finishing games], so I want to play more like today. I've played a lot with Ben, it was good to be out there with him. We couldn't quite see the ball [on tight runs]. I think Johnson did me with a slower ball at the end and it just went straight up ... The ball has been going into the gloves nicely since the Champions Trophy, so great to continue."
6.15pm: It was always setting up to be nipper at the end but Buttler saw it big and served up the innings England needed, a sparkling 65 from 48 balls. It was a supremely well-paced knock, saving a mighty boosh or two for the end, when it was most needed; and it meant Clint McKay's stunning hat-trick was not the decisive act it looked like being. Carberry and Morgan steadied England with a century partnership but the 75 runs, in less than ten overs, added by Buttler and Stokes were pivotal. And, to the delight of the home support, it was Mitch Johnson who got whacked at the end. Cardiff has had some special finishes - Bairstow's debut, SL-NZ in the Champions Trophy - and this has been another to savour.
49.3
4
Johnson to Buttler, FOUR runs
49.2
•
Johnson to Buttler, no run
frees the arms again but can only dig this out to short midwicket
Just one run needed now
49.1
6
Johnson to Buttler, SIX runs
smashed it, absolutely SMASHED!! This is an awesome strike of the ball, Johnson went slightly full on middle and leg, Buttler wasn't to the pitch but managed to cart it absolutely miles, over deep midwicket, nearly into orbit above Cardiff and it drops into the crowd, swallowed up by the shadows lengthening over the stand
end of over 492 runs • 1 wicket
ENG: 221/7CRR: 4.51 • RRR: 7.00
Jos Buttler55 (45b 4x4 1x6)
James Tredwell1 (4b)
Clint McKay 10-3-39-4
Mitchell Johnson 9-0-54-0
Heroic from Clint McKay - but has he done enough?
48.6
1lb
McKay to Buttler, 1 leg bye
drops short, Buttler plays across the line and misses, hits him in the midriff and rolls into the off side, they have to run and do, no direct hit and Buttler keeps the strike
Clarke deliberates over his field, third man and long leg go back...
48.5
1
McKay to Tredwell, 1 run
short and wide and pushed across, Tredwell throws the bat and bottom edges towards cover, they trot one
Tension increases a notch, W-0-0-0 from McKay
48.4
•
McKay to Tredwell, no run
back of a length, stays in the crease and defends
48.3
•
McKay to Tredwell, no run
dances down the track, swings his bat in the wind and misses a short ball outside off, sails through to Wade
48.2
•
McKay to Tredwell, no run
slightly full, on the stumps and punched towards mid-on, they decide not to chance it
Slip in for Tredwell and the ring suddenly tightens...
48.1
W
McKay to Stokes, OUT
bowled him, played all around it! There's a twist yet... The ball just gripped a little, nibbling in off a length and hitting the top of leg stump, there was a gap between Stokes' bat and pad and he walks off shaking his head. McKay has four-for
Ben Stokes b McKay 25 (29b 3x4 0x6 43m) SR: 86.2
end of over 489 runs
ENG: 219/6CRR: 4.56 • RRR: 4.50
Jos Buttler55 (44b 4x4 1x6)
Ben Stokes25 (28b 3x4)
Mitchell Johnson 9-0-54-0
Clint McKay 9-3-38-3
That's firmly tipped the scales, just nine needed now. Here's giles: "so glad to see jos repaying the faith the selectors have put in him. just before the series people were calling his head, take that, nuh!!"
47.6
2
Johnson to Buttler, 2 runs
drops short again, Buttler pulls flat through square and they pick up another couple
47.6
1w
Johnson to Buttler, 1 wide
slung down the leg side, short and wide - huge cheers from the crowd
47.5
1
Johnson to Stokes, 1 run
full, tailing in and dug out to mid-on, sends Buttler back and a good job, as there's a direct hit, which they then decide to run on, Stokes scrambling to the danger end but it's Buttler who's in trouble, no one up to the stumps though and he gets in, the throw wayward. Drama!
47.4
•
Johnson to Stokes, no run
takes the pace off, gets across to defend
47.3
4
Johnson to Stokes, FOUR runs
another bumper, or more like half-tracker and Stokes treats this like a Sunday afternoon pie, swatting a muscular pull over mid-on and away to the boundary, easing the pressure further
47.2
•
Johnson to Stokes, no run
short and in the channel, defended down on to the wicket, no run
"Given Australia's incredibly poor record with reviewing decisions, you'd think that they would be siding with BCCI to get rid of DRS," observes Magpie
47.1
1
Johnson to Buttler, 1 run
slightly back of a length, sprayed across the right-hander, who dabs one through point
Johnson back on, with Australia needing a knock-out combo...
end of over 475 runs
ENG: 210/6CRR: 4.46 • RRR: 6.00
Ben Stokes20 (24b 2x4)
Jos Buttler52 (42b 4x4 1x6)
Clint McKay 9-3-38-3
James Faulkner 10-1-43-1
46.6
•
McKay to Stokes, no run
tries to close the gap and McKay goes short, beats the bat as Stokes swishes and misses
46.5
•
McKay to Stokes, no run
tight line around middle and leg, plunges forward to defend
46.4
2lb
McKay to Stokes, 2 leg byes
hits Stokes on the front pad and it deflects away through square, McKay is appealing for lbw but it must have pitched outside leg, probably hit outside the line too, they scamper hard and steal a couple more leg byes
46.3
1
McKay to Buttler, 1 run
again goes across and tucks a single to leg
46.2
2
McKay to Buttler, 2 runs
length, around off stump, works the ball off the body through square, they'll get back for two and that's a half-century for Buttler, his second of the series - played really well today
46.1
•
McKay to Buttler, no run
fullish, outside off and worked to midwicket - dot ball
Here we go then, Clint "the Real" McKay back into the attack. Australia need a (hat-trick) hero tonight
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